rudaw.net | March 05/2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Bernard-Henri Levy believes directly showing the contribution of the Kurdish Peshmerga to a select group of congressmen through his documentary, 'Peshmerga,' will speak to the "beating heart of American democracy" and not the White House.

Nytimes.com | By TIM NEVILLE

Ancient fortresses, crisp mountain streams, curious people and healing cities: Travelers are discovering the Kurdish region of Iraq, a place of great beauty, haunted by war.

Wsj.com | By Bernard-Henri Lévy

The Turkish president has the insolence to style his ethnic-cleansing campaign ‘Operation Olive Branch.’

gov.krd | Kurdistan Regional Government

Erbil, Kurdistan region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani received a telephone call from US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson.

Rudaw.net

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdistan Regional Government brought in over $3 billion in oil sales in the first half of 2017, according to an audit report from Deloitte, released by the government on Tuesday.

rudaw.net/english | January 12-2018 |

VATICAN CITY — Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and Pope Francis have concluded their meeting at the Holy See on Friday.

kurdistan24.net/en/ | Sangar Ali | January 12-2018

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Belgium’s Defense Minister Steven Vandeput revealed that the Iraqi federal government blocked him from visiting Belgian troops in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region and asked Brussels to respond diplomatically.

Interview | By Rudaw | 10/01/2018

The referendum revealed a previously-existing Iraqi plot against the Kurdistan Region that led to devastating losses, but Kurds can still face a positive future if they now put aside political aspirations and are united, Masrour Barzani, national security advisor of the Kurdistan Region, said in an interview with Rudaw's Shaho Amin that aired Wednesday evening.

Explaining the discussions that went on behind the scenes in the lead up to Kurdistan’s independence referendum, Barzani argued that the US alternative proposed at the last minute was not sufficient because it offered no commitment, no firm timeframe, and no way to hold Baghdad to the agreement. 

“If someone is not prepared to show a commitment, then one should not take a letter as an alternative,” said Barzani, who is also a senior member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). 

Despite the fallout from the referendum – economic, territorial, and emotional losses – Barzani maintains that holding the vote was the right choice. 

“We did not commit a crime,” he said, arguing that whether or not Kurdistan went ahead with the referendum, “Iraq never intended to accept the facts established by Kurds on the ground.”

Regarding the loss of Kirkuk, Barzani said he had not thought it possible that people could be so “depraved” to commit such a betrayal. He said the Iraqi forces only had the courage to march on the Kurdish forces when they realized there was disunity among the Kurds and some were willing to bring the Iraqis behind the Kurdish lines. 

Referring to violence and deaths in the disputed areas after October 16, Barzani said “The guilt of all this has to be carried by the Baghdad authority and the group of traitors of October 16,” who permitted Iraqi forces to take Kirkuk and other disputed areas. 

However, facing elections in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region this year, Barzani believes that if Kurds are united, harmonious, and not driven by individual, political needs, then “a promising future awaits us.”

KRG Cabinet |

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – In a statement for the Kurdistan Regional Government website, KRG Spokesperson Safeen Dizayee responded to the statements of Iraqi Prime Minister Mr. Haider al-Abadi during his Tuesday, January 2nd, press conference.

Bbc.com

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned anti-government protesters they will face the nation's "iron fist" if political unrest continues.